Hawthorne is known for his cataloging the Puritan history and culture of New England in fictionalized format. This volume of short stories does exactly that. Hawthorne writes tales about conscience and rebellion against the King of England, about the follies of financial success and the shortcomings of moral excess.
I grew up in the American South in an evangelical home. The church taught me moral hand-wringing that allows me to relate to the characters in Hawthorne’s tales. Although the Southern Protestantism of my youth was more driven by financial prosperity than that of Puritan New England, Hawthorne’s critique still rings true in modern America. His characters are utterly human.
What’s great about Hawthorne is that he is able to express this critique in entertaining form. His stories make us laugh because they are so common to our experience. Although the florid language is foreign to modern parlance and takes a while to adjust to, the pointed illustrations of human nature are enduring. These people are American people. With a little adaptation, they could be our neighbors – or even ourselves. That makes Hawthorne a joy to read.
These short stories were originally published in magazines and are compiled in book form (hence the title of being “twice told”). They are perhaps the broadest application of Hawthorne’s style. The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables are more in-depth looks at New England’s Puritan past and how that past still haunts the present. This work avoids such depth. It favors a broad look at a myriad of personalities. It delights as it teaches us about our most important subject – ourselves.
Twice-Told Tales
By Nathaniel Hawthorne
Originally Published 1837
Copyright (c) 2015
Astounding Stories
ISBN13 9780375757884
Page Count: 99
Genre: Short Stories
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